


you'll be my home

by aelins



Category: Throne of Glass Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Pregnancy, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:34:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28324650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aelins/pseuds/aelins
Summary: Several weeks before Christmas, Aelin Galathynius realizes she's pregnant with Rowan's child. Unthinking that he might want the child, she packs her things and leaves him. Rowan and Aelin reunite on Christmas eve at a small, family-owned bar and never look back
Relationships: Aelin Ashryver Galathynius | Celaena Sardothien/Rowan Whitethorn, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Kudos: 29





	you'll be my home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [starbornvalkyrie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/starbornvalkyrie/gifts).



> hey meg, i was your acotar secret snowflake! i hope you enjoy this!

Aelin was trying to decide on a pregnancy test. Clearblue--the most expensive one there was? The cheap kind she would have to decipher three ways to Sunday? She grabs three different kinds. She’s not even sure Rowan will  _ want _ a child with her. She was using her meager wages from the coffee shop she worked at to buy the damn tests, Rowan would kill her. 

Not literally. 

But he might take a riding crop to her still tender ass. 

God, she was in so much trouble. 

She climbs back into her suped-up old Honda Civic and drives away from the Walgreens. The lady at the counter had been kind enough to double bag them after being given a cursory glance of embarrassment. 

He’d been gone away on business, and the fact that she’d had nothing to do but go to the gym, and watch the snowfall was starting to bother her. He was due to be back today though. 

So she locks herself in the bathroom--despite there being no one home with her in Rowan’s penthouse, and takes the stupid test. She set the timer on her phone, and washed her hands, waiting nervously. 

She’d taken all three tests at once, you know,  _ to be sure _ , as one does when one is not supposed to be knocked up. The timer shrieks, shrilly. 

Aelin unceremoniously swept the whole lot into the trash bin. 

_ Fuck fuck fuck.  _

They’d been so damned careful and Rowan had mentioned wanting children--when they were married. They’d fooled around when her birth control prescription had lapsed--maybe twice? He’d even joked that he didn’t want her to get ideas about kids with him because he was fucking her raw. Aelin goes out onto the balcony and burns the contents of the waste bin. 

She was in so much  _ fucking  _ trouble. 

*~*~* 

Rowan strolls into the main foyer, toeing off his Gucci work shoes, and flicking the buttons on his black dress shirt. “Honey I’m home!” Rowan said with a laugh. 

Aelin was sulking under a blanket, a mug of tea, and a wildly unhappy look on her face. 

“I thought I should be waiting for you.” Aelin, says, her face stony. 

Rowan’s face falls, “Honey what’s wrong?” 

He was  _ never _ soft with her--they were always teeth and tongues, snapping and clawing at each other’s softest parts. Always fucking and always pretending they weren’t in love. 

Aelin sighs, and points to the collection of her belongings by the elevator which she’d carefully collected. 

“You won’t understand.” 

“Try me.” 

“No,” and there’s soul-deep hurt in Aelin’s voice. 

“Aelin,” Rowan takes a steadying breath, “We can deal with whatever is going on--is your tuition for the spring due? You know I told you’d cover it--” 

“Ro.” Aelin’s voice is full of quiet fury. 

“A?” Rowan tries to smile, and it turns to a grimace. 

“I’m leaving you.” 

Rowan’s back goes rigid. “No,  _ please _ , don’t do that Aelin, I know we fight, I know it’s not always perfect.” 

A tear tracks down Aelin’s cheek and she stands, putting the thick wool blanket to the side and finishing her tea. She approaches Rowan and brushes her thumb against his cheek. “It was perfect for me, every moment.” She ruffles his hair and kisses him sweetly once more--the last time. 

*~*~* 

**_Six weeks later_ **

Rowan Whitethorn was on par with the Kennedy’s. An American god. 

And yet--he thought he knew why Aelin had left. He’d been such an ass to her--he hadn’t deserved her love. He’d wanted to say those three words, and hadn’t. 

He bangs his head on the bar. 

Lorcan, a friend of the family, looked disdainfully at him from his perch on the barstool adjacent to his best friend. “I’m going to have a good time telling Aedion about how you scared off a perfectly good freak--” 

“Shut it Lorcan,” Rowan says--ceasing beating his head on the heavily lacquered bar top. 

“Just have another gin and tonic,” Lorcan shrugs easily as if it’s nothing to him that his best friend is about to throw himself off the balcony. 

“How can you be so cool--” Rowan sputters disbelievingly. 

Lorcan speaks with warm fondness and surety, “Because the good ones come back, always.” 

Rowan rolls his eyes, “Not everyone has an Elide in their lives.” 

Lorcan chuckled darkly, “That’s true.” 

“Aelin is all fire, all the time, she’ll never forgive me.” 

And just like that, Aelin showed. 

She was walking into the lounge with Dorian Havilliard and Manon Blackbeak. Manon had the whole moon maiden thing going for her and Dorian was dressed smartly in black slacks and a dress shirt which was open to show the expanse of the muscled chest there. 

Rowan didn’t move--didn’t breathe. 

They were in a more family-oriented bar than he usually frequented. Manon had her and Dorian’s daughter with them, and Aelin was--talking to Manon about something--and holding her--Rowan blinked. Aelin was cupping her slightly swollen belly and googling at Manon’s baby with such softness. 

He had no right,  _ no right  _ whatsoever, or maybe he had so little right that he had the  _ only right _ . 

Rowan makes his presence known, and Dorian is frowning at him, standing up to leave, “Aelin let’s go.” Dorian says with an air of finality that makes Rowan wonder what Aelin had told Dorian. 

There’s about to be a scene in this bar. “Whose is it Aelin?” Rowan snaps. 

Aelin shrinks away from him. “I’m tired Rowan.” 

“You don’t look tired, you look pregnant.” 

Her fingers itch to slap him, but her shoulders slump. “I am.” 

Dorian is telling Rowan to get away, and Manon has retreated to the ladies' room to change her daughter. They’re making such a scene, and the owner looks like he’s about to come over and call the cops, but Aelin shouts, “ _ Shut up _ ! Rowan let me talk to you outside, Dorian,” she hugs her friend, “I’ll be fine.” 

Dorian looks like a Doberman Pinscher frothing at the mouth, but Rowan lets it lie--and so does Dorian. 

They walk out and conversations resume with a hurried buzzing, that only gossip can fuel. It’s chilly outside, it’s the beginning of December. Rowan hugs her, and they don’t speak for long moments. 

“Why?” Rowan asks, but he realizes Aelin is crying full-on sobs, he doesn’t press, just holds her. 

“I didn’t think you’d want us,” Aelin says around a sob. 

Rowan holds her out in his arms. “I will always want you, no matter what comes, we’ll be together and whatever storm blows our way we’ll face it together.” 

Aelin nods, and they hold each other, they hear the door on the bar door open, and Dorian’s standing there. 

“I’m glad you two made up.” He crosses his arms and smirks at them both. “Aelin you’re still on for babysitting duty for Thursday night?” 

Aelin nods, “Of course.” 

Manon sticks her head out into the snowy day, “Oh good, it worked,” Manon says.

Aelin and Rowan give Dorian and Manon a questioning look, “Oh well Fenrys called Dorian and said that you two had a little misunderstanding, he was quite concerned about our princess.” Manon explains. 

Aelin laughs, Fenrys was too good for this world, he’d brought them together even if they were too silly to see they needed each other. 

Dorian and Manon take Aurora, their daughter, and wave goodbye to Rowan and Aelin, Manon nudges Dorian’s ribs and they laugh together as they go to Dorian’s big SUV. 

“I wish we were like them,” Aelin says. 

“ _ We are, _ pretty soon we can fix  _ their _ marital problems, and carry our baby around. And maybe… maybe they can fix our marital problems too.” 

Rowan Whitethorn had done a lot of things in his thirty-two years of life, getting married was not one of them, but for Aelin? He would make her an honest woman, he would hang the stars in the sky in her name.

“Rowan--” Aelin says squeakily.

But he’s already sinking to one knee and she thinks she might die a thousand times to see the pure joy on his face. There’s snow swirling around them, and the skies choose that exact moment to shine the sun on them. As if they were being smiled upon. 

He seems to pull a ring from nowhere, it’s got a princess cut emerald and smaller diamonds in a circle around it. 

“Aelin Ashryver Galathynius--would you do the incredible honor of being my wife?” 

Aelin nods, covering her mouth so she can make a valiant attempt at not screaming for joy. 

Rowan gets up and they share a long, sweet kiss. 

Snow swirls around them, and lifts Aelin’s long hair and twirls it. 

*~*~*

**Christmas Day, one year later.**

Aelin was rocking their daughter in her little swing, and they were opening presents. It’d been a quiet affair and little Lisa was dozing happily. How they’d managed it she didn’t want to think. Lisa had been up at five and demanded feeding. 

Rowan had told Aelin to  _ go back to bed sweetheart _ . He was an amazing dad, and they’d enjoyed a long engagement. Tomorrow was the day though, the insanity of the season was pleasant, as Rowan had everything catered to her exact desire, he seemed to know what she wanted before she knew herself. 

They would have a full house later in the day, but now it’s just past eight in the morning, Rowan had gotten her an iPad and some drawing supplies. Aelin had decided to go into fashion, and she was starting her own business with Galathynius Gowns. 

Aelin was proud of her work and loved the man she would soon call a husband. She’d even managed to finish her school work. 

And later, when their manor home is invaded by friends and family, they are just glad that tomorrow they are getting married. 

Manon, Elide, and Lysandra all tease her mercilessly about what kind of torrid wedding night they’ll have--since they already have a baby together. 

Aelin only winks and goes to get some more food. 

Outside their house looks like a Christmas card, and if you listen hard enough you can hear sleigh bells ringing. 

**Author's Note:**

> come talk to me on the [bird app](https://www.twitter.com/princelings_)


End file.
